Seeds of Faith
Synopsis The episode opens with a man named Petracles telling a skeptical group of villagers abot the God of Eli. They start to argue amongst themselves just as Xena and Gabrielle arrive. Xena tries to defuse the argument but Gabrielle thinks she sees a man go for a weapon and she attacks him. There follows a brawl, and when it ends Xena chastises Gabrielle for starting it unnecessarily. Ares pops up and complains that Xena is spoiling his fun. Then he notices that she is pregnant and he asks who the father is. Xena tells him sarcastically that it was Gabrielle. Xena figures out from clues Ares drops that he is afraid of a prophecy, namely that the coming of Eli's God means the "Twilight of the Olympian Gods". Xena is worried about what he might do to Eli to prevent it from coming true, so she gladly joins Petracles when he tells her he is on his way to see him. When they find him Xena warns Eli but he says he isn't going to run or fight. Eli and Gabrielle talk about her struggle to reconcile being a warrior and following Eli's Way. While they talk about peace Xena goes looking for war and finds it. Ares' men are on their way to attack Eli and his followers. Xena warns Eli again, but he refuses to change his mind. Xena tells Gabrielle to look after Eli while she takes care of the army. Eli meditates and is visited by the angel Callisto. Callisto tells him that he must die in order to fulfill God's Plan for mankind. Eli is saddened by this news, but he accepts his role in bringing on the future. Ares confronts Eli in front of his followers. Gabrielle gets in between them. Eli begs Gabrielle to step aside and let Ares do what he must. She does so reluctantly, knowing that he will die if she does and praying for a miracle. She doesn't get one, and Ares kills Eli. Xena returns after driving off the army. The townspeople blame Gabrielle for Eli's death. Xena defends her friend until she finds out that Gabrielle didn't fight Ares to the end. Gabrielle storms off, furious. Ares goes to her and tries to tempt her into becoming his new protege. Xena goes after "The Dagger of Helios", a weapon that can kill a God. Angel Callisto tries to talk her out of it but agrees reluctantly to help her find it. Ares denounces Eli to the townsfolk but they stand by their prophet. Ares threatens them but Gabrielle defends them long enough for Xena to arrive with the dagger. Xena fights Ares and has him at her mercy but Eli's spirit comes and tells her not to kill him. She lets him go and Ares leaves, knowing that he has failed to defeat Eli in the end. Eli speaks to the two women, who make up their argument. Then the Angel Callisto comes and tells Xena that the time for her soul to be reborn has come and that she has been chosen to be Xena's daughter. Xena and Callisto are finally reconciled, and Xena welcomes her into her future. Memorable quotes Cast * Lucy Lawless as Xena * Reneé O'Connor as Gabrielle * Hudson Leick as Callisto * Timothy Omundson as Eli * Kevin Smith as Ares * James Gaylyn as Petracles * Peter Rowley as Milos Background information and notes * Final appearances of Hudson Leick as Callisto, and Timothy Odmundson as Eli. Continuity and mistakes Disclaimer * Thanks to Eli's non-violent ways, many people lost their lives during the production of this motion picture.